John LaPolla

Contact Information

Education

Areas of Expertise

Systematics and taxonomy of ants; biodiversity assessment and conservation; biogeography

Research Interests

1) Coevolution of Acropyga ants and mealybugs: Acropyga ants display a fascinating behavior I have termed trophophoresy. Trophophoresy
is the behavior of a queen ant taking with her on her mating flight a mealybug from
her birth nest (LaPolla, 2002). This mealybug serves as a "seed" individual through
which a new colony of mealybugs will be created. The ants feed on the sugary substances
produced by the mealybugs. It is believed the ants and mealybugs are mutually dependent
on one another for survival. Acropyga ants are, in a sense, the dairy farmers of the
ant world. We know virtually nothing about the symbiosis between Acropyga ants and their mealybug
“cattle.” Investigating the biological aspects of this complex symbiosis has become
a major component of my research program. In collaboration with Drs. Ted Schultz &
Sean Brady (National Museum of Natural History) and Dr. Joseph Bischoff (National
Institutes of Health-GenBank), several important studies are planned over the next
several years.

2) Biodiversity Studies I have employed the replicable "ALL" (Ants of the Leaf Litter) protocol to examine
patterns of ant diversity across South America. In collaboration with Dr. Ted Schultz
(NMNH) and doctoral student Jeffery Sosa-Calvo (U Maryland-College Park), my research
project will continue gathering and examining leaf litter ant data from Guyana, Suriname,
French Guiana, Brazil and Peru. Over the next three years, we will complete on-going
studies comparing the Guiana Shield fauna to the rest of South America to extrapolate
patterns of endemism and identify areas of conservation concern.

3) Revisionary Systematics I am in the process of completing a world revision of the ant genus Paratrechina,
a large genus of over 140 species, and a group that contains many invasive species
of agricultural and economic importance. With no taxonomic monograph available, most
Paratrechina species are currently impossible to identify. Defining the species will
help efforts at using biological control methods to control invasive species. The
genus has never been revised and there are undoubtedly many new species awaiting discovery. I am also currently beginning a world revision of the genus Discothyrea with doctoral
student Jeffery Sosa-Calvo (U Maryland-College Park). These enigmatic ants are found
worldwide in subtropical and tropical localities. They are thought to be specialist
predators on arthropod eggs. Funding in support of this research is provided by a grant from the National Science
Foundation (DEB #0743542) to JSL.